The result of apostasy: man's ruin ending in judgment

Finally we find power and force here below, the result, of the
sons of God not keeping their first estate, of apostasy; and God
executes judgment instead of any longer pleading with men by the
testimony of His Spirit in grace, which has its allotted term. The
obedience of faith is the security of the warned remnant; but the
principle of degeneracy worked on in spite of the testimony, and
worked on the accomplishment of the testimony it despised. Man grew
worse and worse, and God's creation was utterly defiled and filled
with violence, the two universal characters of active will out of
God. As regards man, it was now brought out, when he was left to
himself (for before the flood, save gracious testimony, he was so
left), that every thought of his heart was only evil
continually. God creates and destroys; He calls and repents
not. Creation was utterly corrupted, and God destroys it wherever
the breath of life is. The testimony of these things is gone out
everywhere among the heathen. We have here the exact though brief
account of them, so far as needed to shew what man was and is, and
God's ways with him.

The way of salvation through the judgment

In the midst of the ruin and judgment God points out the way of
salvation through the judgment. The remnant taught of God profit by
it. The flood is brought upon the world of the ungodly. Up to this,
though the seed of the woman had been promised, sacrifice brought
in, and testimony given, there were no special dealings of God with
man. It was man walking before God in wickedness, no calling out,
no law, no judgment. The world, man, was judged (save Noah and his
family) and its deeds were hidden under an overwhelming flood. The
judgment of God is accomplished; but He remembers His mercy.